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‘Reset Weekend’ in Delta aims to support mental health through art

Jam session and workshops June 17-18 planned as way to ‘recharge and connect with others’ post COVID
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Alongside You and Delta Stageworks Theatre Society are hosting “The Reset Weekend,” a series of music and community arts workshops in South Delta June 17-18 in support of mental health wellness. Pictured, clockwise from top-left, are workshop leaders Stefanie Tong (therapeutic dance and hip hop) workshops, Tracy Neff (musical theatre), Meg Neufeld (visual arts) and Cory Haas (theatre games and movement). (submitted image)

A group of community organizers is launching a series of music and arts workshops this month in support of mental health wellness.

The two-day event, dubbed The Reset Weekend, is billed as “a weekend for fine-arts enthusiasts to recharge and connect with others through visual arts, dance , theatre, improv and music,” according to an event poster.

“The pandemic has had its mental health stresses for everybody, including ourselves,” local actor and event co-organizer Eric Keenleyside said in a press release, “So we wanted to offer a weekend of arts activities that could be a good place to relax, have some laughs, reconnect and re-energize.”

Happening June 17 and 18, the Reset Weekend is the being organized by Andrew and Meg Neufeld, co-founders of Ladner-based integrated health agency Alongside You, musicians Mike and Emile Greene, and actors Peg and Eric Keenleyside of Delta Stageworks Theatre Society, with support from the Delta Community Foundation through the Neighbourhood Small Grants program.

“COVID-19 has made in-person get-togethers and arts-related activities very challenging for the past two and a half years. We know from research, and our experiences at our clinic, that the arts have a powerful influence on how we process and cope with stress,” Andrew and Meg Neufeld said in a press release.

“We also know how powerful the arts are for creating connections. Relationships are key coming out of COVID-19 and we’re looking forward to creating new connections together.”

The weekend kicks off with the Reset Jam on Friday, June 17 at the Tsawwassen Legion (22 - 1835 56th Street). Co-hosted by The Lite Stripes with Andrew Neufeld and “house band” Mike and Emile Greene, the night offers a chance for local singers and musicians to come together and play — either solo or with the band — before a live audience.

“Whether you are a player, a singer or just feel like listening, join us for some great local live music. Bring your instruments, your microphones, your friends and let’s play like the pandemic never happened,” Mike Greene said in a press release.

Tickets are by donation at the door or in advance on eventbrite.com, with the jam set to run from 7:30 p.m. to midnight (doors open at 7 p.m.). Must be 19 or older, and proof of vaccination is required. Sign up ahead of time to perform via Facebook (facebook.com/deltastageworks) or at the door the night-of on a first-come basis.

Then on Saturday, June 18, workshops facilitated by arts and mental health professionals from Alongside You, Delta Stageworks and Delta Youth Theatre will be available throughout the day at All Saints Anglican Church (4755 Arthur Drive) and Ladner Baptist Church (5624 Ladner Trunk Road).

Workshop options include “Therapeutic Dance/Movement,” “Exploring Watercolours for Relaxation and Health,” “Theatre Games and Music,” “Introduction to Hip Hop Grooves” and “Your Musical Theatre Moment,” and range in price from $15-30 plus fees. No prior experience is necessary to participate in any of the workshops, and all are geared towards adults.

“I’m truly grateful that so many experienced local professionals have come forward to lead these workshops,” Peg Keenleyside said in a press release. “Creative activities that spark joy and bring laughter into our lives are absolutely the thing we need to stay resilient right now.”

The full line up of Reset Weekend events can be found at eventbrite.com/cc/the-reset-weekend-on-june-17-and-june-18-402749.

SEE ALSO: In June, Pride Month events in Surrey lead up to festival at Central City plaza



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James Smith

About the Author: James Smith

James Smith is the founding editor of the North Delta Reporter.
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